Apparatus for draining plates and similar articles



Aug 7, 1951 Filed May 28, 1947 s. P. P. ClERl 2,562,982

APPARATUS FOR DRAINING PLATES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR SALVADOR PEDRO PABLO CIERI Aug. 7, 195] s. P. P. CIERI 2,562,982

APPARATUS FOR DRAINING PLATES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed May 28, 1947 INVENTOR SALVADOR PEDRO PABLO CIERI W ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 7, 1951 APPARATUS FQR DRAINING PLATES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Salvador Pedro Pablo Cieri, Buenos Aires, Argentina Application May 28, 1947, Serial No. 751,086 In Argentina April 30, 1947 1 6 Claims. 1

The present invention refers to improvements in apparatus for draining plates and similar articles, its main purpose being to provide an apparatus which, owing to its excellent constructional features implies evident-advantages over all other similar devices and apparatus that, to the same or a similar end, have been proposed and used to date.

The invention likewise envisages other objects, as will be made clear during the course of the present description.

In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood and readily put into eiiect, a

preferred embodiment of same is shown as an example in attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a lengthwise elevational cut of the draining apparatus, improved in accordance with the present invention, in a partially unfolded position. I

' Figure 2 is a partial detail, showing the retention'means provided in order to limit relative rotation between the corresponding strips or links for holding plates.

Figure 3 is aperspcctive view showing the same apparatus totally unfolded and ready for use, and finally:

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the fashion in which this draining apparatus is enclosed, when not in use, in a, case conveniently lodged in a recess in the wall.

Like numerals represent like or similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment shown, the draining apparatus improved in accordance with the present invention, comprises mainly two lazy-tongs units 3 arranged in parallel spaced relation, constituting two vertical planes, forming the two opposite sides of the drainer, each one of which sides comp-rises pairs of strips, links or levers I and I, pivotally connected together, two by two at their middles, 1

by pins or similar means 2. In turn, said strips I and I of each lazy-tongs unit are rotatably connected together, also two by two, at their top and bottom ends, by means of horizontal shafts 3 and 3 respectively. The shafts 3 and 3 extend laterally between the lazy-tongs units thereby maintaining a constant separating distance between the units at the sides of the apparatus.

From the drawings it may be seen, furthermore,

that shafts 3' joining the lower portions of the corresponding strips forming the lazy-tongs unit of each side, are interconnected, two by two, by a series of strips #3 and t, joined together two by two by means of pins or similar means 5, the extreme ends of which strips are hinged to said shafts 3. In turn, these strips 4 are provided, at their ends adjacent to pins 5, with a hook-shaped extension 6, which is one of the improvements included in the present invention, these extensions being provided to lodge on the upper edge of the adjacent strip 4, when'such strips are mutually aligned, as shownin Figure 2, thus limiting the relative rotation of both parts around said pins 5.

Each one of these strips 4 and 4', in turn, are shaped, at their upper edge, with a series of notches I, of an adequate depth and outline, for receiving the edges of plates arranged therein to drain.

A further basicfeature of the present invention, resides in the fact that shafts 3 and 3', articulating the pairs of strips I and I, are joined together by means of bars 8, made of flexible U-shaped metal; the upper ends of these bars are directly hinged to said shafts 3, whereas their lower portions are provided with slots 9, in which the free ends ofshafts 3 are slidably housed, their functions being to limit the displacement of these last mentioned shafts.

Said bars 8, in turn, are provided at their outer .edges with a series of vertical cuts I0, a number of hooks II being thus formed, the objectof which will be seen further on. v

The assembly thus described is provided, as has been said, with means for being lodged within a case I2, meant to fit into a recess provided in wall or partition I3'(Fig. 4) and capable of being closed by a frontal cover I4.

With this object, the two strips I that form one of the ends of the draining device, are hinged at their upper portion, by a screw or similar means I5, to av pair of L-shaped iron pieces IS, welded ,orotherwise affixed to the inside of the bottom I I of said case, in a vertical position; in turn, shaft 3- joining the lower portions of the end strips I of the two units, simply rests on the outer edge of said iron pieces or legs I6.

In order to employ the above described device, the lazy-tongs units are pulled outwards until completely unfolded, as far as the length of strips 4 and 4' will allow, whereby the device will remain in the position shown in Figure 3; in this state, shafts 3' will have slid up to the top portions of slots 9 of bars 8, limiting the displacement of said shafts; tooth or extension 6, in turn, of strip l, will be in the position indicated by full lines in Figure 2, limiting the rela tive rotation of said strip and its counterpart 4, around its hinged portion 5. Under these conditions, shaft 3, at the end of the apparatus,

bears. against legs 16, keeping the entire assembly in a perfectly horizontal position, so that the plates or other objects to be drained or dried may be placed thereon, in such a manner that their edges engage notches 1 of strips 4 and 4'; said plates or other articles will then remain diagonally supported by upper shafts 3, or by adjacent plates.

As hooks H are made of elastic and not very thick sheet-metal, they can bend sideways one against the other, thus permitting each pair of hooks adjacently situated to be used as supports for the edges of cups, demi-tasses, etc, which may be placed in an upturned position within said slots of notches [0.

When the drainer is not inuse, the assembly may be made to recede into case l2, as shown by Figure 1, until totally folded, after which the front cover may be closed, as shown in Figure 4, the device thus being completely hidden from view.

The invention as set forth herein can be clearly understood and no further explanations will be required by those versed in the matter.

It is evidently possible to introduce changes as to construction and detail of the apparatus according to this invention, without thereby departing from the essential nature thereof, as clearly defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for draining plates and similar articles comprising a support, a pair of similar expansible and contractible laterally spaced lazy-tongs units mounted in parallel vertical planes with one end of each unit attached tothe support, a laterally extending shaft between each lower pivot joint of one lazy-tongs unit and the corresponding lower pivot joint of the other lazytongs unit, said shafts serving as the means for pivoting the lower ends of the links forming the lazy-tongs units, and article supporting means mounted on said shafts intermediate the lazytongs units, said supporting means comprising a pair of strips hinged together and connected respectively to adjacent shafts.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterized by including a shaft connecting the lower ends of the downwardly-extending end links of the lazy-tongs units at the attachment ends of the units, said shaft being in sliding engagement with the support, and an article supporting means connected to said shaft.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the pair of strips are connected end-to-end by a hinged joint with their other ends respectively connected to the said adjacent shafts, the hinged joint of each pair of strips being adapted to move upwardly when the lazytongs units are collapsed, and means for limiting. the downward movement of the hinged joints 4 of the pairs of strips to approximately the level of the shafts.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterized by including a laterally-extending shaft between each upper pivot joint of one lazy-tongs unit and the corresponding upper pivot joint of the other lazy-tongs unit, the shafts connecting 'saidupper pivot joints serving as the means for pivoting the upper ends of the links forming the lazy-tongs units and as a rest for articles carried on the article supporting means.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the pair of strips are hinged to gether end-to-end with their other ends respectively connected to said adjacent shafts, the hinged joints between said strips being midway between said adjacent shafts and adapted to move upwardly to collapse the strips when the lazy-tongs units are contracted, and an extension on one of the strips of the article supporting means at the position of the hinged joint there between, said extension being adapted to engage the other strip andlimit the downward movement of the hinged joint.

6. An apparatus for draining plates and similar articles comprising a support, a pair of similar expansible and contractible laterally spaced lazy-tongs units mounted in parallel vertical planes with. one end of each unit attached to the support, a laterally extendingshaft between each lower pivot joint of one lazy-tongs unit and the corresponding lower pivot joint of :the other lazy-tongs unit, said shafts serving as the means for pivoting the lower ends of the links forming the lazy-tongs units, and article supporting means mounted on said. shafts intermediate the lazy-tongs units, the article supporting means between adjacent shafts comprising a pair of laterally spaced strip means connecting the two adjacent shafts and. spaced from the lazy-tongs units, said strip means, having notches in their upper edges for receiving the edges of plates and other articles.

SALVADOR PEDRO PABLO CIERI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 68,616 Everingham Sept. 10, 1867 866,489 Leonard Sept. 17, 1907 918,000 Burdick Apr. 13, 1909 1,453,437 Burnham May 1, 1923 1,469,455 Dubyk Oct. 2, 1923 1,616,870 Rotthouse Feb. 8, 1927 1,748,068 Hood Feb. 25, 1930 1,946,386 Buschman Feb. 6, 1934 

